Into The Dark
by TheNellisTrain
Summary: You know that one day where everything seems in place? As if nothing could go wrong? That's what it was like for Ellis - despite the zombies and all. Today was the day they could have gotten out of the hell hole they were living in.. but in a second all of that disappeared.. all because of him. [{ Rated M for things later on. Nellis shall be shipped in this story sooner or later.}]
1. Prologue

**4 Months Into The Infection**

Ellis remembered everything clearly. The good 'ol days when he would work at the local garage with his buds (Mostly Keith), playing bass guitar in the band, helping Ma' on the farm.. He remembered every good thing about Savannah.

Good 'ol Savannah.

It felt just like yesterday when he was being yelled at by his co-worker Paul for nearly backing a truck over him or that time when Keith climbed onto the top of the barn and he had to call the fire department just to get him down.

Those were the things he wanted to remember.

He didn't want to remember walking inside the house when he got home from the garage. He didn't remember want to remember having to kill his own mother...

He just didn't.

A hand stretched out to Ellis. "You don't plan on sleeping down there, Do ya'?"

Ellis looked at the dead Charger next to him then up at the man who offered his hand to him. He grabbed his hand and stood up. "I think I like it up here, Nick."


	2. Only Wandering

**6 Months Into The Infection**

Ellis stared into the blue sky watching as the helicopters flew away. He wasn't quite sure what to stare at more - help flying away or the one thing that seemed perfectly fine, as if nothing had changed - but he knew what was more important.

"When do ya think one of those whirlybirds are gonna come back for us?" He said as he stared into the sky.

"It's called a helicopter, El. Not a 'whirlybird' or whatever you call it." Nick said in a matter-of-factly voice, then walked off to the head of the group.

"I'll call it what I want and ya' call it what you want." Ellis said once the gambler was out of hearing range.

He always retaliated when the gambler couldn't hear him - or if he needed to defend himself. Other than that, Nick wasn't the best person to talk to, Rochelle was. She was more patient with his-being.

The southerner caught up with the rest of the group after straying behind for a bit.

"Ey, Coach.. where we goin' if our help is flying away to.. flying away to... Well, to who the hell knows?"

Coach pointed off to nowhere in particular, "To an evac up in N'awlins."

"New Orleans." Nick said correcting Coach's speech.

The southerner scratched his head through his cap, "Ain't there anywhere closer? I mean I ain't complaining or nothin' but.. ain't that a lil' far?"

"He may have a point." The news reporter chimmed in, "We might not last that long seeing how we are traveling on foot."

Ellis nodded in Rochelle's direction. He liked the fact that she listened to what he had to say or agreed to go back for him when he was in trouble - even though the gambler would cast a vote to leave him (Coach agreed with Nick on occasions)!

"Look, I highly dobut that any CEDA member here is gonna stop and rescue us. So I suggest we keep on walking or look for false hope that isn't there." The gambler said, silencing the others.

Ellis didn't like it when the gambler caused such silence - it just didn't feel right since he wasn't the leader, Coach was. He went along with it anyway. He always did.

The band of suvivors continued to walk down the street that was scattered with dead bodies of the living and dead bodies of the zombies and most of all - cars. Broken down cars...abandoned cars..they were everywhere!

Little did they know that they were going to be a problem.


	3. What Happened To You

"Look, El, Don't tell the others...but," the gambler said as he started to bandage the southerner boy's wounds. "I'm only doing this for you."

The gambler looked the southern boy is his blue eyes for a few seconds. The boy saw something he had never seen in the gambler's eyes before - concern, but that's a lie. He has seen concern from the man before - just not for him.

The gambler stood up and stretched his hand out to the boy. The boy stared at Nick for a few; He couldn't understand the sudden change in the gambler.

Just as the boy reached for the gamblers hand, several lights shown on them. They both looked up to see Coach and Rochelle hand-cuffed and disarmed.

"Drop your weapons and walk towards the light."

**3 Hours Earlier**

"THESE ABANDONED CARS GO ON FOR MILES." Nick stated as he went on his never ending rant of complaints.

"Do you have something that you don't complain about?" Coach said playfully, but some-what trying to shut him up.

"Well, I haven't said anything about your weight." The gambler said with a smirk.

"Get yo ass movin', Nick!" Coach said sharply, clearly offended.

The gambler smirked knowing he had angered Coach, he liked it that way.

Ellis shook his head with disappointment. He never quite understood why the gambler felt the only way to have fun was to piss people off.

Ellis started swinging his axe pretending to kill imaginary zombies. "Ey, Guys.."

"Yeah, Ellis?" The news reporter said.

"One da-"

Nick let out a heavy sigh knowing that the boy was going to ramble.

"...As I was sayin'...One day, I'm gonna be a _ROCK GOD_!"

Rochelle began to chuckle.

"Kill all kinds of zombies with my rock god powers." Ellis continued in an excited but yet serious voice.

"Really, El?" Nick said sarcastically. Coach couldn't help but laugh - the boy was funny since there's nothing else in this dull world anymore.

"Yeah, really!" The boy said trying to believe they were taking him seriously. "Look! This here car is my stage!" The boy dropped his axe and quickly climbed onto the car before the others realized what he was doing.

And that's when the car alarm went off.

Everybody stared at each other with disbelief. The once quiet area was now filled with zombie moans and the sound of running feet.

Before Ellis could even say anything the gambler shouted "DUMBSHIT!" and shoved the axe into the southerner boys hands.

Rochelle was already ahead of the group running further down the street, "Come on! We've got trouble!"

Coach had reached Rochelle and started shooting zombies that got closer to Nick and Ellis while Rochelle elminated the zombies around herself and Coach.

Ellis chopped limbs and heads off of zombies that managed to get close to him. Nick shot as many zombies as possible but he soon had no more ammunition.

"Shit." The gamblered mumbled as he saw a zombie closing in on him. The gambler quickly took action and nailed the zombie in the face with the butt of his magnum then shoved it to the ground. Just as the gambler was about to smash its face in, Ellis chopped the zombies head straight off. The gambler stared at the southerner for a few seconds before nodding in thanks. The southerner smiled one of his goofy grins.

They both began to run towards Coach and Ro, there were to many zombies to handle just for the two of them. Ellis slowly started falling behind, for he tripped on almost every dead body in his path.

The gambler hadn't noticed that the poor boy was falling behind - until he heard a scream of pain behind him. He turned away quickly to see the boy had been clawed in his shoulder and bit on his side. He looked at Coach and Rochelle who shook their heads sadly, it was to late for the boy. Nick didn't want to leave the boy to die - he just couldn't.

The gambler ran back for the southern boy and hit the zombie biting him right in his face with the magnum, crushing his skull.

"N-Nick~.." the southern boy said faintly.

The gambler quickly began to help the boy run. He looked around to see if Coach or Rochelle was there covering them, but they were gone. They left them.

Rochelle and Coach breathed heavily as the poundings on the door continued.

"Do you think...they're..."

Coach began to nod his head with a saddened look in his eyes.

Rochelle slumped over. She had left Ellis to die. She had lefted the boy who looked up to her as an older sister - even though they were very close in age. She had left part of her 'family'.

Coach rested his hand on her shoulder, "We gotta go.."

Rochelle stood up correctly and nodded at Coach.

Suddenly they could hear the sound of guns reloading. Rochelle and Coach did not move an inch but only looked at each other.

The room started to fill with SWAT and CEDA members.

"Do not move or you will be shot." One of the SWAT members said. Two SWAT members began to hand cuff the pair.

They had no choice but to follow the SWAT teams orders - they were so post to save them after all?

As they followed the SWAT team with CEDA close behind, they came across another room.

Another room where a bloody but bandaged Ellis sat on the floor and a concerned Nick held his hand out to him.


	4. Goodbye, Savannah

Ellis stared at all the SWAT and CEDA members filling the room dumbfounded.

"We said...drop your weapons." One of the SWAT members said yet again.

Ellis knew they weren't talking to him, for he lost his axe out on the streets when Nick saved him..

Nick saved him. Why? The southerner wasn't quite sure.

"ELLIS!" Nick shouted as he was being pulled away and disarmed. "RUN, YOU IDIOT!"

Ellis snapped out of his thoughts and staggered trying to get up, but he was to late. One of the SWAT members began to handcuff him.

Ellis bucked out of the SWAT members grip but was quickly grabbed by three more.

Ellis tried getting loose - they just wouldn't let go!

One of the CEDA members slowly walked up to Ellis and injected him with a needle.

Before the southerner knew it, he was seeing things.

He saw him and his buddy Keith laughing, His mama baking cookies, His blue truck, and Nick struggling to fight something.. it looked like he might have been yelling too.

But before the southerner knew it,

He was out.

* * *

_Author's Note;_

_This story does have a playlist, I just forgot to add it to end of the first chapter. So, I shall tell you the songs here. ^-^_

_How To Save A Life by The Fray_

_I Don't Care by Apocalyptica ft. Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace_

_Get Out Alive by Three Days Grace_

_Have Faith In Me by A Day To Remember_

_Vienna by The Fray_

_Say When by The Fray_


	5. Pilot Of My Own Death

"We should be there in about 15 minutes. Make sure the landing pad is clear for us." _Kzzzt._

The boy blinked his eyes a couple of times - he was still groggy from whatever they injected him with, but for some reason he still couldn't see..

The southerner went to move but he couldn't, he was strapped down in his seat and he was hancuffed aswell.

Panic set in. The southerner began to struggle when he suddenly felt someone lay their head on his shoulder.

"Quit struggling or they'll knock you out again, and you don't want that. I learnt that the hard way." The person whispered to him. The voice was so familar.. that tone... Nick? It had to be him.

"Ni-"

"Yeah, it's me. Just sit still and be quiet. This ride will be over soon." The gambler whispered near the boy's ear.

The southerner nodded, and stayed quiet. The gambler sat up-right, taking his head off of the boys shoulder.

"Where's the others?" Ellis whispered almost to himself.

"They're near the front of the helicopter. I should be there to but, eh. Couldn't leave ya back here." The gambler said.

"You've never found'et hard t'ah leave me behind before." The boy mumbled.

"Well, How could I live you behind, El? I mean... come on, I care about you afterall." Nick said almost sounding like he was bluffing.

The southerner raised one eyebrow under the sack on his head, "What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means what I said, hick." Nick rubbed the southerner's head.

And with that the boy remained silent, slowly replaying the mans words in his head and he slowly drifted off into an unwanted sleep.


	6. Welcome To Hellifornia

Ellis woke up groggily to the feeling of the chains and straps being loosened off of himself. He squirmed his head around despite the fact that he couldn't see due to the sack till being on his head.

"Get your ass moving!" A voice boomed as he dragged the boy out of the helicopter then threw him on the ground.

"Ah, hell." Ellis grumbled as they dragged him off of the ground and onto his feet.

They snatched the sack off of the boys head causing his hat to fall to the ground.

"My hat!" He shouted as he tried to get out of their tight grip. "I want my hat!"

The southerner saw Nick standing with the others as he was being pulled away into one of the buildings. Why weren't they trying to help him?!

Ellis stared at his hat on the ground as he had no choice to be pulled where he didn't want to go. He thought his hat was gone forever until the gambler unexpectedly walked forward and grabbed the hat.

"_Ey, AYLUS_**." **The gambler shouted mocking his southern draw.

The southern smiled at the gambler until he was no longer in sight as he drug into the building.

* * *

I know this really sucks, I'm sorry. This was actually a teaser part and I couldn't decide whether I wanted to cut it out of the story or not. So, here it is. And I hate it.

But, at the same time I don't hate it because it shows how Nick cares about the little things, y'know?

Leave a review for this chapter and tell me what you think, please!


	7. Information Is Key

"Roll up your sleeve, Sir."

Nick looked up at the nurse, shooting her a death glare. The nurse cleared her throat and stood firm. The gambler reluctantly rolled up his sleeve knowing he had lost this battle. The nurse stuck the needle into his arm sending the liquid into his veins.

"What is this shit you guys keep giving me anyway?" Nick asked eyeing the nurse as she gave him another shot.

"It's not in my place to say." The nurse said shaking her head as she sent more liquid into his veins.

Nick grunted in return. "Are you allowed to tell me where the hell everyone else is?"

The nurse grabbed another tube for blood and glanced around the room before going back to her job. "...The lady is under special containment." The nurse said preparing the needle. "The older man is only a couple doors down. You're both in the same department."

The man thought about what she had said while she drew his blood. "Ellis?"

"Excuse me?" She said as she finish drawing his blood.

"Ellis! The hick! THE BOY! FOR GOD'S SAKE WOMAN! WHERE IS HE?!" Nick snapped.

The woman stared at the gambler shocked and confused about his sudden mood-swing. The nurse kept her composure and collected and the needles and placed the tube of blood in her pocket and started towards the door.

Nick drug his hand across his face. "Wai-"

The woman turned around quickly. "I'm not sure where he is, but from what I know he's a carrier and they plan on testing on him." The woman sighed and continued. "I know you could careless but, the woman you guys were traveling with is infected... But she is capable of human thinking." The nurse began to spit out words rapidly. "It seems she may have been the first few infected." She glanced at everything in the confined room but the gambler. "You're immune.. as well as the older man. They plan on either killing you or sending you to a camp, which is death either way." The woman's eye grew bigger as she spoke. "And..." She gulped.

"What?" The gambler said staring her down until she finally met his eyes.

The nurse pulled a pen out of her pocket and placed on the ground infront her. Nick furrowed his eyebrows.

The woman looked back at the door and placed her hand on the doorknob. "The camp doesn't seem like a choice for them.."

The nurse left, but she also left her shoe behind that was holding the door open.

Nick realized what he had to do. Save himself and the team. _Save himself and Ellis_.


	8. Got Nothing But A Coach

Nick picked away at the pad-lock on Coach's door with the pen.

'This places security is worse than that prison I broke out of before all this shit happened.' Nick thought to himself.

_Click._

The gambler flung the door open startling the older man. "You coming or what?"

The older man climbed off of the floor. "Damn right."

The two wandered down the halls avoiding guards at all cost.

"We should take a left up ahead." The gambler mumbled.

Coach shook his head. "This should take us to Rochelle, right?"

"No." The gambler stated plainly and continued walking.

"No? But I thoug-"

"Well, you thought wrong." The gambler stated, now facing Coach. "We're going for Ellis."

Coach furrowed his eyebrows. "Since when did we go for him first?"

"Since now." Nick retorted as he began walking down the hall again.

Coach stared at the gambler in disbelief as he walk down the hallway, soon following after him.

"There should be a guard when we go to turn down this hallway." The gambler stated.

"How'd you know that?" Coach asked disturbed.

"Save your questions for later, I don't have time for that." The gambler replied with a smirk then disappearing around the corner.


	9. Chapter 9

_Crrck..Snap!_

That was all that was heard from the guard once Nick got his hands around his neck.

"Alright. Let's go. They're probably looking for us right now."

Coach came around the corner and stared at the dead body. "Dang, Nick. Badass isn't the word, fo'sho."

The gambler grinned and continued his walk down the now empty hallway.

The older man stared at the signs they walked based. "Wouldn't it be easier if you did the same thing to a nurse and got an exact idea on where were going?"

"You tell me. I don't plan on grabbing attention from the dead bodies lying around and the fact that they would have realized I'm gone." Nick said with his annoyed tone of voice.

Coach didn't care much of his reply.

The gambler stopped infront of a door with a small window and peered inside. The man grinned to himself not realizing he was actually doing it.

"So I take it he's in there?" The olderman said trying to overcome a chuckle.

"Screw you, ass-clown." Nick said, peeling his eyes off of the boy that laid inside the room. "There's about four doctors in there, one guard, and one hell of an emergency button." The gambler smirked. "Did I mention the magnum that guard has?" Nick let out a forced laugh.

Coach eyed the man. "You must really like this young'un."

Nick glanced at the door that held him between his goal. "I guess I do." and without warning he kicked open the door and stormed in taking on the armed guard.

The gambler knee'd the guard in his stomach causing him to double over. The gambler took this as a chance to remove the gun from the guards holster, but failed as the guard regained his stance, slamming his fist into the gambler's jaw.

The gambler growled realizing how the blow affected him because of the taste of blood in his mouth from his now bleeding lip.

The gambler swung a right hook but failed to connect with the guard as he ducked and swiped his legs from underneath him, causing Nick a hard collision with the ground.

While the gambler fell he saw Coach holding one doctor to the wall while another withered under the weight of Coach's foot ontop of her. The other two hid behind a desk afraid they would be attacked as well.

_'Thank whatever God their is for Coach's history in football,' _Nick noted in his head. He saw the knee that was about to be brought down on his chest and quickly rolled out of the way causing the guard to slam his knee into the ground. The guard fell face forward and grabbed his knee realizing he may have fractured it. The gambler realized his opurtunity and snatched the gun from the guards holster and shot him right in the head.

Coach had finished off the two doctors and dropped the now lifeless one on the ground. "They're two under the desk."

Nick walked over to the desk and shot the two doctors square between the eyes causing blood to splatter on his already messy suit.

Nick walked over to the now empty bed. "GOD DAMN IT! WHERE IS HE?!" The gambler shouted angrily, refusing to let tears stain his eyes.

Coach opened his mouth slightly to reply but stopped and shook his head.

"I'm 'ere." A southern draw came from behind the older man. Nick stepped around Coach to see exactly what he was looking for, _Ellis._

"As well as I." Another voice said causing a raised eyebrow from both Nick and Coach. The woman stepped out from behind the boy.

"Rochelle!" Coach beamed.

"How...did you...?" Nick asked confused.

"Ellis." Rochelle chimmed.

The boy smiled. "It was easy gettin 'er-n-all, since ya'll triggered the silent alarm. They should be done checkin' ya'll roo-"

Nick grabbed the boy's wrist and dragged him knowing the others would follow. "We don't got time for this!"

They truly didn't.


End file.
